Miguel Teurbe Tolón de la Guardia

Creator of the Shield and National Flag of Cuba.

He was born in the city of Matanzas on September 29, 1820. A cultured man, he had studied in the public school of his native city and received a rich education from private tutors in Latin, rhetoric, natural sciences, philosophy, French, English, and Italian. He was a professor of history, philosophy, English, Fencing, and rhetoric. At the Philharmonic Society of Matanzas he taught Natural Philosophy; and Literature at the Auxiliary School of the University of Havana. In 1848 he had been appointed an associate member of the Artistic and Literary Lyceum of Havana.

He pursued his early studies in a public school in his native Matanzas and with various private tutors, from whom he learned Latin, rhetoric, natural sciences, and philosophy. He also studied English, French, and Italian.

He collaborated in different newspapers such as Aguinaldo Matancero and La Aurora del Yumurí, of which he was chief editor. Among his positions were that of official interpreter of the Royal Treasury, professor of rhetoric, history, English, philosophy, and fencing. He also taught Natural Philosophy at the Philharmonic Society of Matanzas.

Author of two theatrical works: "Un casorio" and "Una noticia," which were performed in Matanzas. He taught classes in Literature at the Auxiliary School of the University of Havana, and later was appointed an associate member of the Artistic and Literary Lyceum of Havana in the year 1848.

He provided literary services to El Faro Industrial, La Piragua, La Prensa, La Floresta Cubana, Brisas de Cuba, El Duende, among others. In 1848 he had to emigrate to the United States because of his independentist ideas, dedicating himself to teaching and assuming the secretariat of the Cuban Annexionist Board in the city of New York.

He was responsible for the Spanish American section of the New York Herald. He wrote several poems in English which were published in the Waverley Magazine. Some of his poems are collected in "El laúd del desterrado" (1858).

In 1848 he had to emigrate to the United States, persecuted by Spanish authorities because of his anti-metropolis position. In New York, where he taught, he was secretary of the Cuban Annexionist Board and was linked to the conspiracies of Narciso López. He also held the position of secretary of the Legation of the Republic of Costa Rica in Washington.

Above all, one must recognize the progressive and separatist ideas of this patriot. It is fair to point out that today it can be summarized that one of the greatest legacies he left and bequeathed to his people was the creation of the flag and shield, insignias of Cubans; the shield suffered several modifications that did not distance it from its original idea and design.

The poet Miguel Teurbe Tolón, Manuel Márquez Sterling, Narciso López, José Aniceto Iznaga Borrell, his nephew José María Sánchez Iznaga, Cirilo Villaverde, and Juan Manuel Macías, created the flag of Cuba, which is today the official standard: 2 white stripes, three blue stripes, a red triangle, and a solitary star. Upon it they swore to fight and offer their lives to make Cuba independent.

Ill, he returned to his native homeland in the month of August 1857 after his death sentence was annulled. He died on October 16, 1857.